Nicheless & Loving It #93

May 21, 2024

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Greetings

Today is technically the start of the week here as yesterday was a holiday Monday in Canada. I say technically as I don’t really have a work week, I do something every day, because I can.

I’ve been noticing a shift in the temperature over the past week, to the warmer side. Sunday I brought out my portable AC unit that cools my space in the hot weather.

When I shift anything around in the house, I’m always amused how change draws the attention of the cats. I actually only moved the unit a couple of feet and turned it. It was enough the girls had to spend a few hours carefully “investigating” this “new” thing in their world.

Recently Midjourney introduced a style reference feature. It allows me to use an image in the style I like to create new images with a similar style. I had played with the feature and liked it. Then they introduced being able to use the style reference parameter and add “random”.

The image it generates shows a style code number. We’re told there are about four billion codes. Getting a repeat code will be unlikely. I can however use a code over and over again.

I’ve figured out how to get a sample of the code without using a subject and then I get ChatGPT to analyze the style. I’m starting to build a catalogue of favourite style codes.

As I generate images each day, I do some of them using the random styles and then remix them using some of my favourite codes. It’s fascinating watching how the style applies and how the original prompt impacts the outcome.

Yes, I feel the need to investigate the codes. It’s something new in my world.

ShadowsPub

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Quote of the Week

"If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner." — Nelson Mandela

Featured Content: Ode to the Lowly Notebook

Notebooks had a presence in life even before I started school. They were what I first pretended to be a student ‘writing’ assignments and then became one.

I don’t remember a teacher ever talking about how versatile and important notebooks could be in learning for life. Then again, I don’t recall teachers ever suggesting learning continued after our schooling.

I guess they liked to think they were the learning gatekeepers.

Little did I know, until much later, that there have been many famous notebooks over the years. The notes they left behind had impact that outlived their lives.

To name a few:

• Leonardo da Vinci - his notebooks were filled with detailed sketches, scientific diagrams, invention ideas on topics from anatomy to engineering. They gave us a glimpse into his multidisciplinary genius
• Charles Darwin - he left several notebooks. The most well known of them was his “Notebook B” in which he sketched the first tree of life which outlined his ideas on evolution.
• Marie Curie - her notebooks documented her research in radioactivity that are still radioactive today.
• Virginia Woolf - she documented many of her thoughts, writing process and life in her diaries and notebooks. Their contents provides a lot of insight and context for her literary works.

There are many other historical figures whose notebooks have created a bridge to understanding them beyond the historical record.

Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emporer from 161 to 180 AD and a major influence on the Stoic movement wrote his thoughts into his notes and they ended up becoming a still bestselling book, “Meditations”, from notes he never intended for publication.

I don’t use physical notebooks these days, I keep my notes electronically. That doesn’t mean there isn’t times I want to pick up a pen and do some freeform brainstorming. I have an app on my iPad called Nebo where I can do that.

My notes are my guides to my projects and form the basis for my writing. Obsidian is very much my life dashboard. It sits open all day for me to both add material to and to extract from. It keeps me organized.

How about you? Do you use notebooks? Keep notes? Hit return and share please.

Published:

​The Journey of 500 Days​
On May 14th I reached 500 days of publishing content every single day. It’s a streak that started on January 1, 2023 and it will continue for the foreseeable future. Here I talk about the journey I’ve been on.

​These Folks Shared at PYPT on May 16th
​Pimp Your Post Thursday (PYPT) is a live content curation show happening every Thursday at noon Eastern in the DreemPort Discord. Some great discussions take place during the shows. Anyone who creates content anywhere can share it on PYPT—community matters. PYPT is a community you’re welcome to drop into. READ MORE​

A Final Thought

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." — Jimi Hendrix

Take care and be safe, everyone.

ShadowsPub